Although winter is just beginning, many of us are already suffering with chapped lips and dry skin. With springtime months away, I reached out to Lora Condon, New York Times bestselling author, celebrity esthetician and founder of the Beauty Buster skincare collection. Her all-natural line focuses on creating healthy, smooth skin with products like Bump Blaster (for breakouts) and Atomic Balm Moisturizing Stick (for dry, chapped skin).
The owner of Jersey Boutique Spa in Westfield, Lora also authored “Spa Wars: The Ugly Truth About the Beauty Industry,” which documents her funny, true stories and professional insight from the beauty industry.
Over the last 20 years, Lora’s celebrity clientele also have come to depend on her for lashes and brows. (She was named the “Best Eyebrow Shaper in New Jersey” by InStyle magazine.) Additionally known for her DMK Oxygen Enzyme Facials which help reduce hyperpigmentation, fine lines and aging, Lora has created “makeup magic” for Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Téa Leoni, Tory Johnson, Joey Fatone, Joe Theismann and others.
Lora Condon and her skincare line have been featured on the Dr. Oz Show, Good Morning America, The View, CNN, FOX News, InStyle magazine and the New York Times.
Here are her five top tips for protecting your skin during harsh, winter-weather conditions:
1. Avoid using alcohol- or benzoyl peroxide-based products on breakouts. These ingredients can irritate the skin, causing it to flake. Benzoyl especially damages and kills the surrounding new skin cells, which inhibits regeneration of the tissue and could create uneven texture or damaged skin. Instead, use a gentle product to kill bacteria and restore the skin.
2. Don’t use a face wash that causes your skin to feel tight, dry or itchy after use. Your cleanser should never make your skin feel this way. Instead, after a gentle wash, your skin should feel plump, fresh and slightly moist before you apply serum. Squeaky-clean skin can result in dehydration, dryness, flaking and more pronounced lines. If you have oily skin, use a gentle wash and let it sit on the face for two minutes to dissolve excess oil without stripping the moisture from your skin.
3. Resist the urge to pick at pimples, blackheads, eczema or any other skin condition because you could permanently scar your skin. Instead, use a gentle skin healer.
4. Take care when choosing shaving products. To prevent cuts, flaking, dry and itchy skin, use a few drops of macadamia, grape seed or almond oil to provide a smooth glide for the razor. These gentle oils also act as a buffer from skin damage. Try using the oil alone or layer traditional shaving cream over it. It might take some getting used to, but the result will be worth it.
5. Always take the time to protect your skin in harsh weather conditions to avoid bleeding cracks, extreme redness, dryness and flaking. Until spring arrives, it’s imperative to use a balm moisturizer over water-, oil- or cream-based products to seal in that moisture and protect against wind and extreme cold.